What's the difference between clownish and ridiculous?

Clownish


Definition:

  • (a.) Of or resembling a clown, or characteristic of a clown; ungainly; awkward.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Karadzic and Vojislav Seselj , an extreme Serbian nationalist and former paramilitary leader, are currently performing to the same clownish script.
  • (2) It really astonished me.” Donald Trump: I get along great with Mexico but China should watch out Read more On a superficial level, says Bisley, Beijing would be ecstatic at the emergence of a “buffoonish, clownish, evil boss” who captures the “chaos of democracy” so well.
  • (3) Cigarettes, soap, shoe polish, Uncle Ben's rice and "Cream of Wheat" cereal used clownish black characters and "black" grammar in their advertising.
  • (4) These might include, say, red leather trousers, bow ties, Lycra, bomber jackets, leopard-print, cartoon sailor collars, white tights, military frogging, deckchair stripes, blazers, bikinis, giant checks and more of the massive, clownishly shouldered jackets that Diana would accessorise – often to 1980s acclaim – with panto tricorns, pillboxes the size of cake tins.
  • (5) He doesn’t publicly criticise Griff for giving paranoid lectures about the Illuminati, just like he didn’t knock Flav for becoming a clownish reality TV star.
  • (6) Bush disseminated a new web video on Saturday entitled Judgement [sic], which uses a whimsical clarinet soundtrack and interview lowlights to portray Trump as a clownish figure not suited to the grave responsibilities of the presidency.
  • (7) Stuart Campbell Hightae, Dumfriesshire • Neal Ascherson ( Letters , 25 February) says that José Manuel Barroso's "clownish blurt seems to have no support from embarrassed European commission colleagues".
  • (8) While many have portrayed him as a clownish and eccentric figure – an image no doubt reinforced by his characterisation in Team America: World Police – others say he is smart and even witty.
  • (9) He was the reserve keeper, the relic of the past, the clownish figure so often blamed for Ivorian failure.
  • (10) An optimistic interpretation is that Kim, giving the lie to his clownish, bon-viveur image, is actually being rather Machiavellian by setting the stage for a new opening to the west.
  • (11) If you have a job, most likely you'll have been at work; if you don't, just admitting to have seen Lord Freud and his serpentine, clownish position-taking would probably be grounds enough to get you sanctioned.
  • (12) For all that, Luhrmann's clownish progress has carried him far.
  • (13) Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a clownish racist whose Liberal Democratic Party's policies are as far from liberalism or democracy as they can get, proposed "cleaning" the Russian language of supposedly unnecessary borrowings last year – mentioning words such as singl , butik and performans – though it didn't get much traction then.
  • (14) Behind the clownish posturing lies one ugly fact: since 1992, when these negotiations were conceived, global greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels have risen by half.
  • (15) His appeal is clownish: fine for a fun job like City Hall, but a liability for anyone aspiring to lead the country, in charge of the military and the NHS.
  • (16) As for Jose Manuel Barroso's claim that Scotland might be barred from EU membership, which Martin Kettle calls "an important warning", this clownish blurt seems to have no support from embarrassed European commission colleagues.
  • (17) One piece I watch in the packed theatre is based on a classic piece of north Indian folk theatre, poking fun at a clownish British redcoat who attempts to have his wicked way with a local girl.

Ridiculous


Definition:

  • (a.) Fitted to excite ridicule; absurd and laughable; unworthy of serious consideration; as, a ridiculous dress or behavior.
  • (a.) Involving or expressing ridicule.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Historically, what made SNL’s campaign coverage so necessary was its ability to highlight the subtle absurdities of the election and exaggerate the ridiculous.
  • (2) It is ridiculous,' says Li Rui, a former secretary of Mao Zedong.
  • (3) No doubt it was intended as a bold and graphic way of presenting the Iranian nuclear threat, but much of the initial response – on Twitter, at least – was ridicule.
  • (4) "It would be ridiculous to encourage shale gas when in reality its greenhouse gas footprint could be as bad as or worse than coal.
  • (5) He says he won't respond to the latest ridiculous rumor of Republican action.
  • (6) At the 2nd stage, as the self-esteem lowered and negative attitude of other schoolchildren arose, the neurotic disorders emerged alongside with prevalent depressive reactions and fear of getting bad marks and being an object of ridicule at school.
  • (7) Once I’d checked she was OK I said, ‘Stop crying now.’ ” So it’s about managing emotions: ‘I’m going to need you to get a grip.’” “If you’ve got interesting points to make about the devaluing of serious words like bullying and depression, why make them in a way that sounds like you’re ridiculing people who are suffering?” I ask.
  • (8) Walden said the comparison with Comet was “ridiculous”.
  • (9) Well, Machado put those skills on display on Sunday, and this is an excuse to bring you his ridiculous play against the Yankees.
  • (10) Alamgir was ridiculed on social media after he told the BBC that the building may have collapsed after opposition activists enforcing a general strike "pushed at the gate and columns of the building".
  • (11) "The ANC pretence that we don't have a social crisis in this country is quite ridiculous.
  • (12) So we started asking them ridiculous questions about being single," says Lucas, "and the sheer number of misunderstandings about each other's lives felt like comedic material."
  • (13) "Rio Ferdinand's decision-making, the chances he has taken, it is ridiculous.
  • (14) It's ridiculous, because there will soon be a massive public outcry about how there's nowhere for kids to go.
  • (15) Westminster wits had taken to ridiculing the rebel movement against Gordon Brown as a "peasants' revolt", a cohort without influence.
  • (16) To create a new bank, which we understand is an option, which could be called Glyn Mills, is ridiculously back to the future.
  • (17) JD, Oxford More than three months to get a replacement debit card is ridiculous, and we agree that you have been more than patient.
  • (18) The Kiev-appointed governor, Serhiy Taruta, has dismissed this poll as ridiculous, pointing out that most of the region's 2.4 million voters won't take part.
  • (19) Liberal Democrats and Conservatives today ridiculed a request by Labour to broadcasters to focus more on policy analysis.
  • (20) Edge: Cardinals Bench Shane Robinson made a name for himself in Game Four of the NLCS with a pinch-hit home run and actually finished the NLCS with an OPS of 1.278, which is completely ridiculous and tops any of his teammates by a country mile.